In farming or gardening situations, there is an obvious need to fertilize plants to help them grow. Various apparatuses are used to achieve such fertilization. Previous fertilizing apparatuses constitute two main groups: (1) those apparatuses which distribute fertilizer on the ground surface and; (2) those apparatuses which introduce fertilizer beneath the ground surface. Regarding group (1), the plant roots are what absorbs the nutrients in the fertilizer. By distributing the fertilizer on the ground surface about the plant, the fertilizer is exposed and most of the fertilizer is blown away by wind, washed away by rain or trod upon and carried away by animals or humans before the plant roots can absorb the nutrients in the fertilizer. As such, the process of surface fertilization becomes ineffective in that the fertilizer never remains on the ground long enough for the plant to absorbed the nutrients within the fertilizer.
Regarding group (2), when fertilizer is introduced beneath the ground surface this usually entails messy liquid fertilizers. The prior known apparatuses dispensing the fertilizer into the ground release the fertilizer by one or more valves which control the flow of the fertilizer. Such underground fertilizer apparatuses usually are required to be left in the ground. By leaving the apparatuses in the ground, hazards are created to both people and the apparatuses. Persons may accidentally run into these apparatuses injuring themselves or breaking the apparatuses. Further, having a fertilizing apparatus protruding from the ground by every tree and shrub or at varied intervals along a lawn is aesthetically unappealing. Though somewhat effective, these types of fertilizing apparatuses create more detriments then benefits.
Finally, one common factor among the different types of fertilizing apparatuses is the prevalence of mechanics used for operating the fertilizing devices. By virtue of the fact that these mechanical devices have moving parts, they are subject to the corrosive effects of the fertilizer, malfunction, break down, wear and rust, rendering the entire apparatus inoperable.
The present invention avoids the problems of ineffective fertilization methods created by ground surface fertilization. The present invention only deposits fertilizer beneath and up to the ground surface. The fertilizer is not fully exposed and it is introduced closer to deeper roots avoiding loss of the fertilizer to outside elements and making absorption of the fertilizer by the plant, tree or shrub easier. Further, the present invention is intended primarily for dry fertilizer avoiding the mess of liquid fertilizers and making the amount of fertilizer introduced beneath the ground surface more easy to control. However, liquids or part liquid/solid fertilizers may also be utilized.
To operate the present invention, a small hole is made in the ground with a T-stake and the fertilizer is deposited within this hole. The hole is made usually at the point of the drip line of a tree or shrub. When an operator of the present invention has completed the fertilization process, the present invention is stored away. Only the holes remain which due to their small size do not present any danger, i.e., a person or child getting their foot caught in a hole. The present invention is not left in the ground to create hazards to people or to become damaged by the elements, animals or people. Additionally, the invention is not left in the ground presenting an aesthetically unappealing site. Only a small hole is left which after a few days begins to close as the fertilizer is absorbed by the plant roots.
The present invention works on the principle of gravity; wherein an applicator tube must be positioned with its open end facing the ground. The applicator tube is flowably connected to a tank containing fertilizer. When the applicator tube is positioned with its open end facing the ground, the fertilizer flows from the tank to the open end of the applicator tube; however, a baffle is located in the end of the tube to regulate the flow of the fertilizer. To release the fertilizer while the applicator tube is facing the ground, the applicator tube and consequentially the baffle must rotated such that the baffle does not hinder the flow of fertilizer out the open end of the tube.
There is no known prior art device which encompasses all the attributes of the present invention. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,287 to Guin, et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 3,118,402 to Nelson disclose apparatuses for injecting substances beneath the ground surface. Guin's apparatus is used with plant nutrients and Nelson's apparatus is used with weed killers. Each apparatus is portable but has at least one valve-actuated member for controlling the amount of substance injected beneath the ground surface. The novelty of the present invention is the absence of any moving implements for dispensing fertilizer beneath the ground surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,539,271 to Rianda and U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,327 to Jeffers, Sr. disclose apparatuses for dispensing solid materials into the ground. Rianda's apparatus, used for finding gopher holes, has a tubular shell and an interior removable rod. Rianda's apparatus is used to make a small hole in the ground, after which the interior rod is removed leaving the shell which defines a passage between the ground surface and the gopher tunnel and through which poison to kill the gopher may be introduced. In addition, unlike Rianda's apparatus, an operator of the present invention need not stoop to dispense the fertilizer, but may remain in an upright position.
Jeffers' apparatus discloses a planar support tray having an attached funnel and a conduit flowably attached to the funnel. The purpose of Jeffers is to aid in the planting of seeds by positioning the conduit on the ground where planting is desired and dropping the seeds into the funnel and through the conduit. The present invention is a high-capacity closed system fertilizer dispenser which allows an operator to distribute the fertilizer without having to come into contact with the fertilizer beyond the initial need to fill the invention with fertilizer.
U.S. Pat. No. 797,531 to Peters discloses an apparatus for transplanting and depositing liquid on plants. Peters' apparatus comprises one unit for forming an opening in the ground in which to place a plant and then depositing liquid over the plant by the manipulation of an actuated valve member. The present invention makes a small hole not large enough to accommodate a plant into which hole fertilizer is deposited without the aid of moving implements such as an actuated valve.